The Center for Strategic Design of Conjugated Polymers develops innovative chemistry to control the folding and self-assembly of conjugated polymers (CPs), a class of organic materials that has enormous potential for applications in plastic electronics and sustainable energy.

A lack of understanding of the structure/property relationships in CPs limits their use in next-generation technology such as ambient electronics, wearable electronics, distributed sensor networks, and lightweight, flexible displays. The optoelectronic properties of these materials are governed by their tremendously complex, multi-scale morphology, from the arrangement of atoms in a folded single chain to the packing of multiple chains to form aggregates and films.

In our CCI, leading chemists collaborate to integrate innovative synthesis, characterization, and theory to develop a molecular-level understanding of the key morphological parameters that underpin CPs’ properties. Results from this CCI will drive innovation in the next-generation of electronic plastics.

In Phase I of our CCI, we combined theoretical methods, chemical synthesis and advanced spectroscopic techniques to study new CPs containing structure-directing molecular species that we refer to as “morphons.” These Phase I studies serve as the foundation for new types of folded and morphologically controlled species in Phase II.

The CCI focuses on controlling the morphology, and thus the optoelectronic properties, of conjugated polymers on multiple length scales. Each of the CCI's three research thrusts focuses on a specific range of length scales, from single chains of conjugated polymers to bulk films.

In Phase II, we will build from single chains, to aggregates, and to bulk films to examine both what properties are derived from the inherent polymer structure as well as what properties emerge from interaction of chains in bulk films. Our efforts in these areas are focused on the three projects outlined under the Research Areas section of the website. Our most recent results are highlighted on the “Research Highlights” and “Publications” pages of the website.